Here's Little Richard
Encyclopedia
Here's Little Richard is the debut album from Little Richard
, released on March 1957. He had scored six Top 40 hits the previous year, some of which were included on this recording. It was his highest charting album, at 13 on the Billboard Pop Albums chart. In 2003, the album was ranked number 50 on Rolling Stone
magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time
. The album contained two of Richard's biggest hits, "Long Tall Sally
", which reached #6 in the U.S. Pop charts, and "Jenny, Jenny", which reached #10 in the U.S. Pop charts.
Single
Little Richard
Richard Wayne Penniman , known by the stage name Little Richard, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, recording artist, and actor, considered key in the transition from rhythm and blues to rock and roll in the 1950s. He was also the first artist to put the funk in the rock and roll beat and...
, released on March 1957. He had scored six Top 40 hits the previous year, some of which were included on this recording. It was his highest charting album, at 13 on the Billboard Pop Albums chart. In 2003, the album was ranked number 50 on Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time
The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time
"The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time" is the title of a 2003 special issue of American magazine Rolling Stone, and a related book published in 2005.Related news articles:...
. The album contained two of Richard's biggest hits, "Long Tall Sally
Long Tall Sally
"Long Tall Sally" is a rock and roll 12-bar blues song written by Robert "Bumps" Blackwell, Enotris Johnson and Richard Penniman , recorded by Little Richard and released March 1956 on the Specialty Records label....
", which reached #6 in the U.S. Pop charts, and "Jenny, Jenny", which reached #10 in the U.S. Pop charts.
Track listing
- "Tutti FruttiTutti Frutti (song)"Tutti Frutti" is a 1955 song by Little Richard, which became his first hit record. With its opening cry of "A-wop-bop-a-loo-bop-a-lop-bop-bop!" and its hard-driving sound and wild lyrics, it became not only a model for many future Little Richard songs, but also one of the...
" (Richard Penniman, Dorothy LaBostrieDorothy LaBostrieDorothy LaBostrie , alternatively La Bostrie or Labostrie, later Dorothy LaBostrie Black, was an American songwriter, best known for co-writing Little Richard's 1955 hit "Tutti Frutti"....
, Joe Lubin) – 2:25 - "True Fine Mama" (Penniman) – 2:43
- "Can't Believe You Wanna Leave" (Lloyd PriceLloyd PriceLloyd Price is an American R&B vocalist. Known as "Mr. Personality", after the name of one of his biggest million-selling hits...
) – 2:28 - "Ready TeddyReady TeddyReady Teddy is a song written by John Marascalco and Robert Blackwell, and first made popular by Little Richard in 1956. It has since been covered by Buddy Holly, The Tornados, Elvis Presley, Tony Sheridan and others, making it something of a pop standard. Musically it's an uptempo rock and roll...
" (Robert BlackwellRobert BlackwellRobert "Bumps" Blackwell was an American songwriter, arranger, and record producer, best known for his work overseeing the early hits of Little Richard, as well as grooming Ray Charles, Quincy Jones, Lloyd Price, Sam Cooke, Herb Alpert, Larry Williams, and Sly and the Family Stone at the start of...
, John MarascalcoJohn MarascalcoJohn Marascalco is an American songwriter, who is most noted for his collaborations with Robert Blackwell...
) – 2:09 - "Baby" (Penniman) – 2:06
- "Slippin' and Slidin'Slippin' and Slidin'"Slippin' and Slidin" is an R&B/rock song performed by Little Richard. The song is credited to Little Richard, Edwin Bocage , Al Collins, and James Smith....
(Peepin' and Hidin')" (Penniman, Eddie BocageEddie BoEdwin Joseph Bocage was an American singer and New Orleans-style pianist. Schooled in jazz, he was known for his blues, soul and funk recordings, compositions, productions and arrangements...
, Al Collins, James Smith) – 2:42 - "Long Tall SallyLong Tall Sally"Long Tall Sally" is a rock and roll 12-bar blues song written by Robert "Bumps" Blackwell, Enotris Johnson and Richard Penniman , recorded by Little Richard and released March 1956 on the Specialty Records label....
" (Enotris Johnson, Blackwell, Penniman) – 2:10 - "Miss Ann" (Penniman, Johnson) – 2:17
- "Oh Why?" (Winfield ScottWinfield Scott (songwriter)Winfield Scott was a songwriter who wrote or co-wrote the hit songs "Tweedle Dee" for LaVern Baker and "Return to Sender" for Elvis Presley. "Return to Sender", written for the Presley film Girls! Girls! Girls!, was his biggest hit, selling over 14 million copies in the U.S...
) – 2:09 - "Rip It UpRip It Up (song)"Rip It Up" is a song written by Robert Blackwell and John Marascalco. It was first released by Bill Haley and his Comets and Little Richard in 1956. The Little Richard version hit number one on the R&B Best Sellers chart for two weeks and peaked at number seventeen on the pop chart.-Cover...
" (Blackwell, Marascalco) – 2:23 - "Jenny, Jenny" (Johnson, Penniman) –2:04
- "She's Got It" (Marascalco, Penniman) –2:26
Personnel
- Little RichardLittle RichardRichard Wayne Penniman , known by the stage name Little Richard, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, recording artist, and actor, considered key in the transition from rhythm and blues to rock and roll in the 1950s. He was also the first artist to put the funk in the rock and roll beat and...
– vocals, pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
(except on 5 and 9) - Lee AllenLee Allen (musician)Lee Allen was an American tenor saxophone player born in Pittsburg, Kansas.A key figure in the New Orleans rock and roll scene of the 1950s, Allen recorded with many leading performers of the early rock and roll era...
– tenor saxTenor saxophoneThe tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor, with the alto, are the two most common types of saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B, and written as a transposing instrument in the treble...
(except on 2 and 12) - Alvin "Red" Tyler – baritone saxBaritone saxophoneThe baritone saxophone, often called "bari sax" , is one of the largest and lowest pitched members of the saxophone family. It was invented by Adolphe Sax. The baritone is distinguished from smaller sizes of saxophone by the extra loop near its mouthpiece...
(except on 2 and 12) - Frank Fields – bassDouble bassThe double bass, also called the string bass, upright bass, standup bass or contrabass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2...
(except on 2 and 12) - Earl PalmerEarl PalmerEarl Cyril Palmer was an American rock & roll and rhythm and blues drummer, and member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame....
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
on (except on 2 and 12) - Edgar Blanchard – guitar on (except on 1, 2, 5, 9 and 12)
Additional personnel
- Justin Adams – guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
on 1 and 5 - Huey Smith – pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
on 1 and 5 - Renald Richard – trumpetTrumpetThe trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
on 2 - Clarence Ford – tenor sax, baritone sax on 2
- Joe Tillman – tenor sax on 2
- William "Frosty" Pyles – guitar on 2
- Lloyd Lambert – bass on 2
- Oscar MooreOscar MooreOscar Moore was an American swing jazz guitarist.Moore was an integral part of the Nat King Cole Trio during 1937–1947, appearing on virtually all of Cole's records during the period. A superb and influential guitarist, Moore was himself influenced by Charlie Christian...
– drums on 2 - Roy MontrellRoy MontrellRoy Montrell was a rhythm & blues guitarist who performed as a session musician for many famous artists, as well as performing some of his own songs. His original song " That Mellow Saxophone" has been widely covered by acts including The Stray Cats and Imelda May...
- guitar on 9 - Wilbert Smith – tenor sax on 12
- Grady GainesGrady GainesGrady Gaines is an American electric blues, Texas blues and jazz blues tenor saxophonist, who recorded with Little Richard in the 1950s. He also backed other musicians such as Dee Clark, Little Willie John, Sam Cooke, James Brown, Jackie Wilson, and Joe Tex...
– tenor sax on 12 - Clifford Burks – tenor sax on 12
- Jewell Grant – baritone sax on 12
- Nathaniel Douglas – guitar on 12
- Olsie Richard Robinson – bass on 12
- Charles Connor – drums on 12
Charts
Album| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1957 | Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... Pop Albums |
13 |
Single
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1956 | "Long Tall Sally" | Billboard Black Singles | 1 |
| 1956 | "Long Tall Sally" | Billboard Pop Singles | 6 |
| 1956 | "Ready Teddy" | Billboard Black Singles | 8 |
| 1956 | "Ready Teddy" | Billboard Pop Singles | 44 |
| 1956 | "Rip It Up" | Billboard Black Singles | 1 |
| 1956 | "Rip It Up" | Billboard Pop Singles | 17 |
| 1957 | "Jenny, Jenny" | Billboard Black Singles | 2 |
| 1957 | "Jenny, Jenny" | Billboard Pop Singles | 10 |
| 1957 | "Miss Ann" | Billboard Black Singles | 6 |
| 1957 | "Miss Ann" | Billboard Pop Singles | 56 |
| 1957 | "True Fine Mama" | Billboard Black Singles | 15 |
| 1957 | "True Fine Mama" | Billboard Pop Singles | 68 |